Rusty Pelican hits the sweet spot for brunch

“Breakfast served all day” is the best phrase I can read on a menu. And that is exactly what the Rusty Pelican Cafe serves at its three Puget Sound locations.

My family has been frustrated with the lack of breakfast places that serve breakfast past noon. We are up early on weekdays and love to spend our weekends sleeping in and having brunch at a great local restaurant when we feel like getting up.

Finally I found a place to accommodate our lazy Saturday need for breakfast after noon: the Rusty Pelican.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, my husband, David, and I went to the brand-new Mill Creek location for a brunch date.

When you walk into the Rusty Pelican you see that it’s the kind of place that invites you to stay and have a leisurely meal. The lighting is dim and the booths are nice and comfy. The seaside theme adds to the relaxed nature of the dining room.

The menu starts with several breakfast cocktails. They were tempting, but because we had to drive home, we opted for coffees ($2.50).

The menu is extensive, including a wide array of different kinds of pancakes, crepes and waffles, seven versions of eggs Benedict and 11 omelets. Something for everyone. There is also a lunch menu with unusual sandwiches, soups, salads and burgers.

After much discussion, I ordered the Dungeness crab meat omelet, with fresh fruit and a biscuit ($15.45), with a side of bananas with whipped cream and powdered sugar ($3.95). David opted for the California Benedict($10.95) with potatoes.

Our coffees came out quickly along with a carafe of water for our table. The coffee was quite good and it was a nice touch that the brought out individual cups of heavy cream.

The food service was also quick and we had our food in no time.

My omelet was stuffed with crab meat and onions and topped with hollandaise sauce. The cooks did not skimp on the crab.

The hollandaise was the perfect thing to finish the omelet; cheese would have stolen the spotlight from the crab.

The whole thing was incredible tasty and satisfying.

The buttermilk biscuit was gigantic and so good. Served with butter and jam, it was a great way to round out my meal.

David’s eggs Benedict was served with avocado, tomato, two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce atop an English muffin. Everything was cooked beautifully.

David allowed me a bite and I thought it was a nice change from the traditional eggs Benedict. The potatoes were excellent.

The Rusty Pelican is creative with its menu. I have already pegged my next five meals there: At the top of the list are lemon ricotta pancakes ($9.95 for a full stack), Napoleon waffles, served with Nutella, bananas and pecans ($12.45) and Florentine Benedict, served with spinach and bacon ($10.95). Or, for lunch, perhaps the grilled ahi tuna burger with wasabi ($13.95) or the crab club ($15.25).

As if that weren’t tantalizing enough, they have big, beautiful cakes and other desserts in their pastry case to satisfy your sweet tooth. With cafes in Edmonds and Seattle as well as Mill Creek, there is a Rusty Pelican within reach for your lazy weekend brunch.